Academy 16s Recap: Rapids go 1-1-0 on weekend

This weekend, the Colorado Rapids U-16 team defeated and lost to their opponents by the same 2-1 score in Texas. On Saturday, they beat Texans SC Houston 2-1 at Bear Branch Soccer Complex outside of Houston, and then fell to Texas Rush on Sunday in the same location.

Throughout the past month, the U-16s have been finding their groove without four key players while Nathan Braaten, Miles Chow, Quentin Pearson and Jacob Smits-Kagoshima have been playing with the U-18 squad of late. Saturday's team delivered a quality performance against Texans, as JT Grover scored in the third minute to put his team ahead almost immediately. Nicholas Porter doubled Colorado's lead in the 58th minute, and an 81st minute Texans goal made for a tense finish to a 2-1 Rapids victory.

On Sunday, the Rapids went down 2-0 before they found their footing. Even a flurry of chances at the end of the first half couldn't produce a quality finish, and only Greer Solarte was able to pull one back in the 50th minute. Colorado had a handful of chances in the second half to net the equalizer, but the 2-1 score was not in their favor at the end of the day.

The Rapids remain in 7th place as they head into the Development Academy Winter Showcase in Florida next month. They take on De Anza Force on December 12, Vancouver Whitecaps FC on December 13, and Seattle Sounders FC on December 15, all of which count towards their Development Academy season standings. Following the event, the team will break until March when they will resume for the second half of the 2013/14 season.